TAX-AIDE Ordering TaxWise Software August 2015 TCS Webinar1.

TAX-AIDE

TAX-AIDE

August 2015 TCS Webinar 1

Ordering TaxWise Software

TAX-AIDEAugust 2015 TCS Webinar 2

How to Order Software

● Software can be ordered from October through January prior to the tax season All sites do not have to be ordered

at once, but Once ordered the SPEC Office

cannot cancel or move the software to another site

Don’t order the software until it is confirmed that the site will open


Software Order Status

● IRS entering initial order into their system First order ships 11/23 CA2 master template will be

developed by Twin Pines Senior Center site (EFIN = 942073) in San Mateo District Change from 942079

● Nationally 5000 sites. 709 sites subscribe directly to national template

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August 2015 TCS Webinar 4

TaxWise Software Update


Download Updates Automatically

● TaxWise typically delivers updates between 7:00AM-8:00AM, EST

● Must be logged in to TaxWise as a user that has rights to the Get Module Updates and Get Program Updates menu options

● Detailed steps on OSHC

AARP-SMT

July 15, 2015

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Timing Out while working in TWO

Same Login is used for:‐ TaxWise Online‐ Support site‐ Prior years of TaxWise Online

Prior year returns were on a different server than current year

Use different Browsers to avoid getting timed out if you open multiple windows like a prior year return and the current year return

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Tax year 2015 TaxWise Online

• Template management is now supported in Chrome as well as Internet Explorer

• Additional Printer security role allowing further segmentation of your users

• Quick links added to the home page to easily access prior year tax applications

• Deactivate and activate users in 2 stages

– Deactivate all in bulk then activate by checkmark each user

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Tax year 2015 TaxWise Initiatives

• Enhanced Setup Assistant– More intuitive navigation

– Refined view and management of users and group assignments

– New progress indicator when carrying forward taxpayer data

– A new Active/Inactive user status replaces the previous delete users button

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Tax year 2015 TaxWise Initiatives

• Enhanced Return List options, filtering and sorting– One-click ascending /descending

sorting on any column

– Evening and cell phone number fields for display and sort

– Easy reset to revert the Return List to defaults

– Enhanced search options

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Image is PROTOTYPE ONLY and should not be considered final.

Tax Year 2015 TaxWise Initiatives

• Important support information displayed right at the top of TaxWise – Adding APS (Alt Prep Solution) indicator to top left of TW

– Adding Install drive indicator to top left of TW

– Adding current version to top left of TW

• A quick link on the TaxWise Home Page to the remote support tool-TeamViewer

• Can restore deleted returns on CCH servers

Special Note: IRS is one client of CCH out of 10K; Enhancements/etc. generally developed for commercial purposes

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2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas

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TWO Alternative Preparation Solution

Art Rudeseal

CO1 D18 TC; Member, NTC

TAX-AIDE2015 SMT/TCS Training - Dallas

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What is APS?

● Alternative Preparation Solution (APS) APS allows volunteers to prepare returns

in the TaxWise desktop program if interactive TWO is not available.

Returns started in APS can be: Completed Run through diagnostics Printed Transferred to TWO for e-filing

APS is also known as “Safety Net”


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APS References

TWO Home screen

● Help Center Quick Reference

Training Sessions● TaxWise Online Introduction and

Administrative

• Alternative Preparation Solution• Video (Brainshark)• Manual (.pdf)

https://www.brainshark.com/cch/2014Alt_Prep_Sol

http://download.taxwise.com/media/IRS%20Training/Manuals/2014AtlPrepSol.pdf


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Potentially, When to Use APS?

● When TWO is down

● When TWO is too slow to use

● When an Internet connection to TWO is not available or is too slow to use

● When “roving” away from the main site to where the Internet is not available “One-day” or “Special event” sites Shut-ins


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Actually, When to use APS?

Perhaps never.

● No national policy requires the use of APS.

● States, districts, and sites may make local policy.

But, if ever, then:

● Only when a site has prepared volunteers and computers in advance to use APS if and when it may be needed.

● Too complex to set up from scratch when a site is suddenly down and volunteers and taxpayers are waiting.

● Recommend an APS dry run during training, without taxpayers.

Alternative Preparation Solution

• Your TaxWise Online registration code activates limited feature sets in TaxWise desktop for return preparation, printing and transferring to TaxWise Online

• Download and Install TaxWise Desktop from the support site

• Complete the Setup assistant– Register Software– Setup Users – Configurations

• Create Tax Form Defaults in TaxWise to match your Template in TWO

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Alternative Preparation Solution

• Enable Auto Updates for Program and Module Updates

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Preparing for APS 1

● Install TaxWise desktop on all computers that will be used for APS. Configure TaxWise Users and

Groups and their permissions in Security Manager

Install state modules Setup Tax Form Defaults Setup Print Packets


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Preparing for APS 2

● Network or Stand-alone installs? Either wired or secure wireless TaxWise

client/server networking is permitted and does work

Un-secured wireless networking is not permitted due to data security risk

Stand-alone desktop is less technically challenging but operationally more complex

● Plan how you will apply TaxWise program and module updates

● Plan how you will transfer returns to TWO


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Gotchas

● E-files cannot be created in APS. They can only be created after transfer to TWO.

● Only returns marked for transfer with the current TaxWise program and module versions can be successfully transferred to TWO

● Only the Admin user in APS can transfer returns to TWO

● APS is not implemented in TWO Training. You can only test it in TWO Production.


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Transferring to TWO

● Returns can be transferred to TWO from each laptop

● Go through the CCH APS lesson .pdf, starting with page 7 http://download.taxwise.com/med

ia/IRS%20Training/Manuals/2014AtlPrepSol.pdf




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TRS/TCS Meeting July 2015 23

TWOBest Practices

Jim Watters - NTC

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Effects on Site Operations

• Improvements in efficiency, even small improvements, have a positive effect and are cumulative

• A procedural improvement may work at one site, but not another

• Each of the following ideas has helped some Tax-Aide sites – consider if they may help your site:


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Users


• The ADMIN is the program’s ‘native’ user

• The ADMIN shares most of its ability with Administrator users – limit these

• Super Users are the ‘journeyman’ users

• Return Preparers are ‘restricted ability’ users

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Templates

• Training Templates help instructors and increase the learning curve of students

• A TCS prepared State Template in states having an income tax is helpful to sites in preparing their local templates

• Opening schedules/worksheets from the ‘tree’ saves time (versus ‘linking’) TRS/TCS Meeting July 2015 26

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Common Training Site

• The District may use one Client ID for all training, permitting use of the same training templates and easier review of trainee’s work

• Smaller States may want one Client ID for all training, permitting a uniform training course


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High Contrast Display

• High Contrast Display makes fields and numbers easier to see

• Reduces mistakes by ‘older eyes’


Context Sensitive Help

• Train counselors to use Context Sensitive Help as the primary source for help when unsure how to complete a return

• Secondary resources for the counselor are the pdf version of the Volunteer Resource Guide (4012) and Pub 17

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Taxpayer Diary

• Attached to, but not printed with return

• Carries forward from year to year offering background for this year’s return

• Excellent place for details regarding return’s preparation, processing and correction (if rejected)



Client Letters

• A Client Letter is given to each taxpayer who must return specifying what’s needed

• A duplicate copy of the Client Letter is kept as a ‘tracking document’ to identify action needed and to record phone calls to taxpayer


Quality Reviews

• Train Quality Reviewers: mistakes to look for, how mistakes occur and how to correct errors• Training templates of returns with

mistakes are individually reviewed, then discussed by the training class

• Prepared returns are placed into a queue for the Quality Review

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Submitting

• The Quality Reviewer reviews and discusses return with taxpayer, prints a copy for the taxpayer, and has the taxpayer sign the 8879

• Before the taxpayer leaves the Quality Review, the Quality Reviewer submits the return while taxpayer watches


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Return Stages

• Are specifically designed for site use

• The stages are determined by the site, set-changed-removed by a counselor and site procedure states how and when used

• Very useful in handling the administrative details, e.g. ‘tracking’ the return’s progress



TC Reference Tool

• Use a list of common program problems and solutions to solve ‘glitches’

• List is quicker than calling TWO Support

• Some states have a website for instant access to solutions• e.g.,

https://sites.google.com/site/virginiataxaide


Security

• De-activate users after the season, re-activate them for training

• Changing users to Return Preparers does not prevent unauthorized preparation and printing of tax returns

• Review both TWO Reports and the “My Information” Reports; note dates prepared, printed, edited


New ideas

• Share new ideas for efficiency as they are developed

• Send them to One Support on the Portal and to fellow TCS’s

• TWO contains abilities for us to increase site efficiencies we have yet to discover

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Templates and Other Settings

Bob Borchlewicz– Member NTC

Sue Alza – Member NTTC

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Templates

● CCH creates a template that is sent to all TWO sites.

● NTC tailors this template with AARP specific modifications to create the NTC Master Template. The NTC master template is sent to the training

site of all subscribers.

To subscribe, designate a site as a subscriber of EFIN 314142 on the software order.

● To use a template that is received, a new template must be created that is based on the received template.



NTC Master Template

State/ Sub State Templates

Site Templates

TWO Templates

CCH Master Template

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Production Templates

● The TWO software order defines the subscriber relationship

● Final template tailoring is completed at the site level.

● Fine tune and test the template at the training site during training in Nov/Dec/early Jan.

● When training is completed “publish” the template. Copies the template from the training site to the

production site.

● Recommendation: Do not use “Practice Lab” version of TWO

It lacks the look and feel of the final product


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Sending TWO Settings

● Custom Fields, Return Stages, Custom Print Sets, and Custom State Print Sets can be sent from one site to the site’s subscribers. These are the same subscribers that were established to send templates.

● No ability exists to “Publish” these settings from training to production, but these settings can be sent from a production site to the production site of subscribers.

● No ability exists to choose not to accept settings that have been sent. Any tailoring that has been performed prior to receiving the settings will be affected.

● Sending Return Stages will not delete stages that exist at receiving site.


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Summary


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The Power of Templates in Training

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Training Templates

● Cannot delete or change a national template, but can create a new template based on an existing template

TCS/TRS Joint Session – Dallas 2015

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TAX-AIDETCS/TRS Joint Session – Dallas 2015

Final words

● Give ReturnPreparer role in TaxWise to avoid any problem in case of production site mix-up

● Revert students to base template at the end of the day

● Inactive training users when training is completed

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TAX-AIDE Ordering TaxWise Software August 2015 TCS Webinar1.

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